Forestry, fisheries & the environment minister Dion George on Tuesday warned of the slow pace in achieving the UN sustainable development goals aimed at tackling poverty and ensuring a just transition.
Officially opening the G20 environment and climate sustainability working group, George said SA would lead by example in the pursuit of a just transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient and inclusive society.
“SA strives to champion and fast-track action,” he said, citing recent milestones such as the proclamation of a new Climate Change Act.
Biodiversity and conservation; land degradation, desertification and drought; chemicals and waste management; climate change and air quality; and oceans and coasts are the top five priorities on the agenda of the G20 working group.
Sustainable development goals are the UN’s blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.
George warned that the world remains far from meeting these targets and highlighted the urgency of tackling poverty, rising carbon emissions, and biodiversity loss to avert worsening crises.
The urgency of climate action and the provision of the requisite support, on mitigation and adaptation, as well as loss and damage, cannot be overstated.
— Minister Dion George
He stressed the need for strong multilateralism, noting that solidarity and inclusivity were the values deemed crucial to addressing today’s environmental and socioeconomic challenges.
“Indeed, the G20 can play a crucial part in halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030,” he said.
On land degradation, George advocated a mix of prevention, regeneration and restoration. He spoke of the need to consider the rights of landholders, especially the marginalised, traditional and indigenous communities.
“The G20 can notably support the development of a legally binding international treaty to combat plastic pollution, as agreed at the UN Environment Assembly in 2022.”
He said the working group was well-positioned to address the growing global demand and supply of pesticides and industrial chemicals, as well as mounting waste from “rapid increase in critical minerals mining and processing.” He warned that poorly managed resources posed a significant health and environmental risk.
“The urgency of climate action and the provision of the requisite support, on mitigation and adaptation, as well as loss and damage, cannot be overstated.”
He said that the G20 process provided an opportunity to deliberate on steps to accelerate climate action.
Each signatory of the Paris Agreement, including SA, was expected to update its nationally determined contributions (NDCs) this year — outlining commitments to emissions reduction and climate adaptation. Though participation is encouraged, the contributions remained voluntary and without legal repercussions for noncompliance.
We must act together and with resolve and clarity of purpose in the spirit of Ubuntu.
— Minister Dion George
Business Day previously reported that, despite SA’s commitments, data from Climate Analytics casts doubt on the country’s ability to meet these targets under existing policies.
The minister described climate change and air quality as inseparable concerns, stating that air pollution affected health, climate, biodiversity, ecosystems and economic development.
“SA will explore ways that the G20 can leverage opportunities to increase the scale and flows of climate finance, critical to enable the Just Transition, mitigation and adaptation efforts, while ensuring that the required investments reach the most vulnerable of society,” he said.
George also emphasised marine spatial planning as a key investment to protect infrastructure from worsening extreme weather events.
He said the “blue economy” was a critical source of livelihoods for coastal communities and pointed to plastic pollution as a pressing concern. This, he said, needed to be addressed in an integrated and co-ordinated manner.
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